Building block



.June 26, 1923.

l E.VVALLJS BUILDING BLOCK Filed May 6, 1922 Sheets-Sheet l F494. I A f m June 26, 1923.

J. E. WALLIS BUILDING BLOCK INVENTOR Patented .lune 26, 1923,.

i Unirnnsrnres f ricerca PATENT @EFM/4E ,JOHN EDWARD WALLIS, 0F RICKMANSWORT, ENGLAND. i v

y l BUILDING :enocia` Appneanpn filed may e,

one horizontal`jointingface acentrally-dis posed projecting portionforengagement with a corresponding centrally-disposed recess in the other horizontal and vertical" faces of a fellow block. p y y l According to this inventioma block` has onlone horizontal jointingface a plurality` of projectingynibs centrallydisposedin the direction of thickness ofthe hlock,`and on one vertical jointing-face one orinore projecting nibs alsocentrally situated in the direction of thickne'ssof the block,y and ony the other Vjointingv-faces recesses `to` receive these nibs which aregof such width as to readily accommodatethe nibs except at the base where they aremadeto yiitthe tops of the nibs, andwhich nibs are of such height that the jointing-facesiare separatedrthere-` by a'distance sufficient to make the requisite Joint. i U v t y i t Preferably, each blockis provided with a central ribalong the horizontal and vertical faces, and the nibs project `from the top of the rib so that jointing` material may cover the ribs without covering the ,nibs` t The invention further relates to a method of. laying the blocksy `when provided `with carrying ribs for the nibs, which consists in wiping off the mortar or cement on each side ofthe rib alongl a plane which `passes through that edge ofthe rib nearest the side to be operated upon yand isparallel to the beddingface of the` block7 or lies nearer to said bedding-face at the Voutervedgeon that side than at the rib.` i Ereferably, the mor-` tar is wiped off along a plane which passes through the edge of the rib and the outer edge `of thel block. y Ity is found that when the quantity "ofjmortar is restricted within provide a block which `each a nib C1k near 1922. serial No. 558,946.

these limits, it ydoes not rise above the reg- 1stermg-nibs and thusv interfere with the;

alignment, In theaccoinpanying drawings-f- Figure l is a section through part blocks constructed according to one-method of carryingout this invention; Figure 2 is a face viewfof part constructed of blocks according to Figure 1;; l Figure 3 is latransverse vertical section through a wall-portioniconstructed of ofthe" same blocksf i L j n "i Figure t is an end elevation of anblock-y; Figure `is a section through par-tof two blocks constructed accordinghto a second methodrof carrying outthis invention', and

ing out the invention.

Each block A, has on the whichis of two i Figure Gisa plan of a block' ccnstructedy` *i r2 f 60 of awall according to the said second method of carryy intended to lie horizontally .in the structure,` i

two nibsy B1, yand theribs @,which are in-t` tended to lie in the `vertical positiom' have said vertical ribs'.

lt -will he seen that the the, upper ends `of .the y ribs znemade with their sides inclined so that they are narrower at the top' than at the bottom and the` nibs` are made as a continuation ofthis form.

The methodl Oflaying these ,blocks con#` t sists in placing the mortar on' ieachside of the ribs and then running the trowel along the block inclined to the angle indicated by,

the line -L^c,` which will ensure that only suiiicicntmortar shall be leftin positionto make a proper joint fandyetvensure that it shall not rise over the nibs when the blocks are brought together.

Each block has on that side opposite to `the one provided with whatmaybe termed the horizontal rib a channel D which has a iiat bottoinand is splayed out at the sides to agreater angle than that of the cooperatf ing rib, and when one block is laid upon' `the other the mortar will not only fill the spaces between the top and bottom faces of the blocks lout willill the spaces at the sides of the rib and also ythe spaces between the nibs. The means provided thereforeby the corners f of the blocks and the cornersnof the ribs whereby thel mortarcan be instantly wSi-ped off` by the trowel is of great -importance. .as

it enables the pro-perl quantity of mortar to -nibslfit the nels.

be placed in position quickly without diliiculty.

A single nib being provided at one end only o f the vertical rib enables easier regis-y lt will befseen from Figure 4' that each Y nib extends along the rib 'a distance equal to Aabout twice the widthofthe top ofthe ribgin other words, the length ofthe nib is v approximately twice the width of the rib. i

`For wiping olf the mortar as described y above, the following dimensions are found to giveogood results z- For a3 block, .whenfit is desired to make a 1l joint, the rib may be 3 deep, the registering-nibs on the top lg deep, the flat top of the rib being fg" wide and the flzit-topof thenib wide. If anarrower joint is requiredthe depth of the rib has to be decreased,`thus,for joint the depth is about g, Vor for 'alwjoint-the depth is approximately 355i. In all these sizes of joint the mortar can* bewiped oft' with a trowel run along theedge ofthe rib and theedge ofA the block, but ifit is desired to make a yjoint `as wide as g it may be undesirable lto make the rib proportionatelyv deep, and in such case the depth of the rib may be kept at gr and the mortar or cement? can be wiped off j leveljwith the top of the rib ina plane paral-I lel to the bedding-'face of the block.

j, Obviously, the invention `is not restricted in its application to building-blocks as any like building unit such as tiles or bricks maysimilarly lbev made self-aligning. vAlthough mortar hasvbeen referred to, it will be understood that other jointing material,

such as cement, may be used in thesame manner.V r

"In Figures and' 6 a block is shown wherein the central ribs B and C are dispensed with and the block is provided onl one of its horizontal faces with two nibsE which project direct from theface of the block.. These nibs engage corresponding recesses orl channels F in neighbouring blocks in the samemanner asfthe nibs B1 and C1 engaged correspondingrecesses or channels, and the y nibs are'of the same height'as the previous ribs 'plus the nibsfor blocks providing for a given joint. VA verticalv face-ofV these blocks has a single nib G which is in every respect similar to the' nibs E and cooperates with a recess or channel in the adjacent verticalface of a neighbouring block. This nib G also projects the same distance from the vertical face of the block as would al corresponding central rib and its nib for a block intended for use with the same joint.

It will be seen that with this form of block correct registration can be obtained as before, so long as care is taken not to put so much jointing-material on the block as to overflow the nibs, and as the nibs occupy little space on the face of the block a soundy joint between the blocks material is obtained.

'Iclaim:-`

and the ointingl. Abuilding block having horizontal and, j

vertical jointing faces,'one of leach of said faces having a tapering fchannel extendingl substantially the full length thereof, the remaining' faces having a centrally disposed rib,feaeh ofthe' latter being provided with a nib adapted to lit within` the bottom of the channel of the next adjacentblock.y

2. A building block having on one horizontal andy one vertical jointing face a centrally disposed `outwardly tapering rib,an`d in its other lhorizontal and vertical jointing faces a tapering channel, said channel hav-il ingv agreater taper than the taper of the before mentioned ribs, and nibs xprojecting from the ribs, the free ends of said nibs 'beingI snugly receivedwithin the bottom of the before mentioned channels whereby said nibs serve to register the blocks ,one ywith another and space the same to receive jointing material.'v j o l v 3. Al building block having on one vhorizontal jointing face'a plurality of project-` ing nibs substantially I centrally disposed' with relation to the horizo'ntalfa'ce and Aon one `vertical jointing face a projecting nib, and on eachfof the remaining j ointing'faces a taperedl channel, the before mentioned nibs being adapted to `fit lwithin the tapered chan, nels of an adjacent block whereby vthe blocks are aligned in spaced relation.

,4a. A building block'havingen one horizontal `and one vertical ,jointing face-a rib disposed centrall'yrelativeto the thickness ofthe block, nibs projecting from said ribs,

and a channel in each of the remaining j ointing faces, the latter being'of sufficient width at vits mouthto readily accommodate the rib of an adjacent block in spaced relation and i of` such width at' its base as to snugly receive the before mentioned nibs of an adja-l l1,460,084E j i 3 cent the before mentioned ribbed horizontall tion, the before mentioned nibs being adaptjointing face, the remaining faces of the ed to snugly fit the bottom of the channels block being provided With tapered channels, of an adjacent block and serve to align the 10 the taper of said channels being greater than adjacent block.

5 the diameter of the before mentioned ribs In testimony `whereof I affix my signature.

whereby said channels may readily receive i the ribs of an adjacent block in spaced rela- JOHN EDWARD WALLIS. 

